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Weekend Review: Palmer’s four-goal blitz, Barca’s unbeaten streak ends

Another entertaining weekend of European football action is in the books, with the main headlines going to Cole Palmer as he scored four goals in the first half to help Chelsea get a 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Elsewhere in the Premier League, Arsenal were able to snatch two goals in stoppage time against Leicester City in their 4-2 win at the Emirates Stadium to continue firmly in…

Gallagher relishing first Madrid derby clash

Conor Gallagher has told ESPN he is “really excited” about playing for Atlético Madrid in his first derby with Real Madrid on Sunday, and said the atmosphere at their Metropolitano stadium is louder than what he’s used to in the Premier League. England international Gallagher, 24, joined Atlético from Chelsea this summer and has already made himself a fan favourite, scoring two goals in five LaLiga appearances. Both Atlético and…

Ange: Not sustainable for Son to play so much

LONDON — Ange Postecoglou has said that it is not sustainable for Son Heung-Min to feature in every match for Tottenham this season and that the forward has already played more than was initially planned in the opening weeks of the new campaign. The 32-year-old limped off the pitch after receiving treatment in the 71st minute of Spurs’ Europa League victory over Qarabag on Thursday and is a doubt for…

LaLiga chief targets game in Miami next season

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has said he is targeting playing a competitive league game in Miami next season, if they can reach an agreement with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Tebas originally planned to stage a league match involving Barcelona and Girona at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in 2018 but was met with opposition from the RFEF and FIFA, among others. However, a recent lawsuit involving Relevent Sports Group, the…

Is Julián Álvarez ready to be Atlético’s next great striker?

Editor’s Note: This was updated after Atlético Madrid’s 1-0 win against Celta Vigo on Sept. 26. The best Atlético Madrid teams of the past 20 years all had a great No. 9. Think of Luis Suárez, scoring 21 league goals to fire Atlético to the title in 2021, fueled by a burning desire to prove Barcelona wrong for letting him go. Think of prime Diego Costa, a centre-forward battering ram…

Preston player charged for alleged bite on neck

The English Football Association has charged Preston North End forward Milutin Osmajic with violent conduct after he allegedly bit Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck. Beck, on loan at Blackburn from Liverpool, complained to referee Mathew Donohue that he had been bitten by Osmajic following an incident during the second half of the 0-0 draw. Beck had been sent off for kicking out at a separate Preston player before the alleged…

How Ahmed Al-Ghamdi went from pursuing medicine in Canada to playing alongside Benzema in front of 62,000

IN A DIFFERENT life, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi might currently be listening intently to a lecture or spending late nights poring over journals in a library in Vancouver. He had been accepted to the University of British Columbia, one of Canada’s top-ranked universities which counts three Canadian prime ministers — including the incumbent Justin Trudeau — among its alumni. He would have first worked towards completing a bachelor’s degree in science, which…

Retired Szczęsny open to Barça amid GK crisis

Former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has said he will listen to Barcelona’s offer to come out of retirement after the Catalan club made him their top target to replace the injured Marc-André ter Stegen. A source confirmed to ESPN that talks are well underway between Barça and Szczesny’s camp to thrash out the final details of what is expected to be a short-term contract until the end of the season,…

San Siro stripped of hosting 2027 men’s UCL final

UEFA has re-opened the bidding process to stage the 2027 Champions League final after stripping Milan’s San Siro Stadium of the hosting rights. The San Siro, the home ground of AC Milan and Inter Milan, last staged the Champions League final in 2016 when Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid following a penalty shoot-out. UEFA announced Milan as the 2027 host city in May this year at the same time as…